Poverty from the state: why the population of Russia refuses paid services

Marina Shapovalova, writer

There are some very simple things that, it seems, should be obvious, but you have to explain on your fingers.

My friend was a fairly well-known and very prolific writer, he wrote a whole novel in six months. Plus, it was published literally right away: the author sent the "still warm" text to a friendly publisher, and a new book was published a month later. Do you think he could live on royalties? Yes, right now! This money would be enough only for a meager meal for one person. I can't provide for my family in any way.

And in "omeriki", you ask, how do writers live there on royalties and royalties? Moreover, literary agents are fed from the same income. Yes, it is. But only where books are ten times more expensive than in the Russian Federation, and at such a price they are massively bought.

Can there be an independent - that is, not receiving subsidies from either the state or a private sponsor - TV channel, magazine, newspaper, gallery, etc.? Can. Where there is effective demand. That is, a mass consumer who is ready to pay enough money to maintain work.

In Russia of the second half of the "zero", after the tax reform, the layer of individual entrepreneurs began to grow. In parallel, and in the service sector, because there are more people willing to pay for services. And, yes - and for books, magazines, private pay TV channels too. And after 2012, the reverse process began. The layer of self-earning people first stopped growing, and then began to slowly melt.

A rich state can support the masses of the impoverished population at the expense of foreign trade income. But this population will save on "optional" expenses. On the same services, on books and magazines, on trips to paid exhibitions - it simply refuses these excesses. Taxi drivers have only recently been in great demand, but now there are fewer potential customers, earnings are falling. Recently there were three private hairdressers on the same street - two have closed: no job, unprofitable. Etc.

Why is there no independent media in Russia? Why can't a young guy with a sensible head and skillful hands open a small auto repair shop in his village, but is forced to enlist in the army for an acceptable salary? Yes, because there is no effective demand. There is no self-supporting consumer who independently plans his income and expenses, and is ready to pay - for convenience, for information, for education, etc. Everyone depends on the state. That's exactly what it wanted.